Article labeled by a labeling machine applying a tactilely distinguishable marking

Abstract

Method and apparatus for applying tactilely sensible indicia on articles is disclosed. Articles may be marked with glue droplets from a glue spit gun. Alternatively, labels may be embossed or marked with glue droplets and then applied to articles. The labels may come from a continuous roll of stock and then cut into discrete labels while the labels are concurrently be marked with the tactilely sensible indicia.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article labeled by a labeling machine comprising: a container;   a sheet form label applied by the labeling machine to said container as the container is fed through the labeling machine, said label having an interior surface matingly engaged with said container after application of said label and an exterior surface exposed after application of said label to said container by the labeling machine;   a tactilely distinguishable marking applied to said label by the labeling machine during feeding of the label through the labeling machine for communicating information about the article to consumers having a visual impairment.   
     
     
       2. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein said tactilely distinguishable marking is a series of braille characters formed by applying glue dots to said interior surface of said label. 
     
     
       3. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein said tactilely distinguishable marking is a series of braille characters formed by applying glue dots to said exterior surface outside of said label. 
     
     
       4. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein said tactilely distinguishable marking is an icon embossed onto said sheet form label. 
     
     
       5. An article labeled by a labeling machine comprising: an article having an exterior surface; and   a tactilely distinguishable marking including a series of braille characters formed by the labeling machine applying a plurality of glue dots to said exterior surface of said article during feeding of the article through the labeling machine.   
     
     
       6. The labeled article of claim 5 wherein said article has a crown surface. 
     
     
       7. The labeled article of claim 6 wherein said article has an embossed icon on said crown surface.